The
nation’s top ocean manager awarded a trip through the Florida
Keys ecosystem to the second place team from Monterey, California’s
Mission San Jose High School in
yesterday’s closing contest and ceremony of the National Ocean
Sciences Bowl (NOSB)
finals, an intense competition of more than 100 students from 22 high
schools from across the nation held at the University
of California San Diego this year.

"The National Ocean Sciences Bowl
is an excellent vehicle for increasing awareness of ocean related
science and careers for students," said Lautenbacher. "I
hope that these young men and women will continue to pursue their
interest in the ocean sciences and perhaps become leaders in this
vital field of work."

Inaugurated
in 1998 and managed by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and
Education (CORE), the NOSB
provides an educational forum for students to excel in math and science
and receive national recognition for their talent. It has generated
student interest and excitement about science and the oceans, giving
young people a chance to examine marine science, both as an in-depth
area of study and as a possible career.

The
Commerce Department’s
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through
the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events
and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal
and marine resources.